We know Dacia as a manufacturer of mainly cheap sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, and, more recently, MPVs and SUVs. In the not-so-distant past, however, the Romanian manufacturer came up with a bathing suit whose center-mounted engine drove the rear wheels.
The red MD87 model was constructed by Nicolae Cosmescu and his team in a record three months, and it is said that if it were not for dissatisfaction with the shade of the red paint of the body, the compact coupe based on the foundations of the Dacia 1410 Sport could have been released a little earlier. By the way, the name originated from the initials of the children of the principal designer (son Dragos and daughter Monica) and the year of car production (1987).
To accommodate the slightly modified mid-mounted power unit from the regular Dacia 1300, the two front parts of the aforementioned 1410 Sport were used to produce the red MD87 body. The change in concept also required many compromises. For example, the clutch cable was three meters long, and since it was difficult to operate, the hydraulics had to solve it for the driver. The first version didn’t really dazzle with its design – small wheels combined with large gaps between individual parts, it was definitely not real. While there was a power unit under the rear hood, under the front one, you would only find a radiator and a spare wheel.
Thanks to the memories of those who apparently drove the only sports model with the rear-wheel drive from Dacia, we know that the handling was dismal, and it took some driving skill to keep the car on the road. The designers themselves were apparently aware of this, which is why the facelift with the name Evo 2 was born. With it, the car got folding headlights, a much more powerful front part, or a decent rear spoiler. Full glass replaced the “blinds” in the rear hood. However, the Dacia MD87 Evo 2 was not only prettier but also better handled.
And since it was a sports coupe, the Romanian management did not neglect the construction of a racing special. Several of these were created, while they were derived from both the original and the modernized version. The chassis received a stiffer suspension, the rear hood received a significant spoiler, and the air intake was increased. One of the many stories related to this car claims that in order for one of the special cars to make it to the morning race, it had to drive all night with the crew on its own axis to the start.
It is not known to this day how the several produced road or racing prototypes actually ended up. We can, therefore, confidently place the Dacia MD87 alongside other unsuccessful and today successfully forgotten sports cars that were created behind the Iron Curtain.
Source: romaniancar.com, daciaclub.ro, ceerteaza.com, automix.atlas.sk
